Two more farms quarantined related to virus

Two more Marion County farms were quarantined Monday after they were tied to an outbreak of equine herpes virus (EHV-1) at HITS' Post Time Farm.

By Carlos E. MedinaCorrespondent

CORRECTION: Chestnut Hill Farm at 750 S.W. 91st Place is not under a Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services quarantine. A Wisconsin operation by the same name, which is temporally leasing property in Marion County for the HITS Ocala Circuit, is the quarantined facility. A press release issued by the state did not differentiate between the farms.

Two more Marion County farms were quarantined Monday after they were tied to an outbreak of equine herpes virus (EHV-1) at HITS' Post Time Farm.

While no new cases were found, the farms - Hard Ford Farm in Reddick and Chestnut Hill Farm in Ocala - were quarantined because horses that later developed the illness were housed on the property.

The latest orders brings to nine the number of Marion County facilities quarantined by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The first horse that tested positive on Feb 21 was located on the HITS showgrounds. Initially, the state only quarantined the tent where the affected horse was housed, but after other horses that had been at the show started testing positive, the entire facility was quarantined Feb. 27.

Despite the quarantine on the grounds, HITS organizers have vowed to continue the competition, which runs through March 17, with the horses on site. No horses on the property when the quarantine was issued can leave the grounds. Other horses can enter, but will not be allowed to leave until the quarantine is lifted.

Several hundred horses are still on the property, but that number would be closer to 2,000 on a typical weekend.

The virus is spread between horses through the air via sneezing and coughing. It does not affect humans. Humans, however, can spread the virus from horse to horse via contaminated hands, clothing and shoes.